The Ninth TV Tropes Writing Contest

To all the kids out there, never drink alone. Why? Because you never know what kind of decisions you'll make when you're drunk. One minute, you're having a couple drinks watching your favorite shows or laughing at yourself suck at video games in your current state, the next thing you know, you're volunteering to host an Internet writing contest.

DING-A-LING-A-LING-A-DING-DONG

Oh, sorry. I'd continue my hilarious anecdote, but that jingle signifies it's time to get SERIOUS. So, without further ado, here's a knock knock joke I heard once:

Knock knock

Who's there?

This

This who?

This writing contest's theme is to write a story that takes place in a single location in a single night. In the planning thread, there was some discussion as to what qualifies a single location: e.g., whether a hospital counts or whether you're limited to a single room in the hospital. I think, in the spirit of the Classical unities, we're going with the latter. Yes, I said "I think" which implies I'm not certain and I'm running this thing. Make of that what you will.

When you've finished your story, copy and paste it to freetexthost. You'll get a link to your story. Send that link to the submission handler, who will then send the links to the judges so we won't have any idea who wrote what. The submission handler is:
Danna45

You'll be judged on three categories:
Theme (5 pts) - How well you stick to the limitations.
Conventions (5 pts) - Your writing mechanics (proper spelling, grammar, etc.)
Overall (15 pts) - Everything else.

We're gonna need at least three judges and one or two back up judges. Currently, the judges are:
Finger Puppet
Thnikkaman Lost Her Cookies
Matues

Sign up in this thread if you're interested. Current participants include:
Parable
Ars Thaumaturgis
Kesar
Hermiethefrog
Deuteronomy
Bur
Sound
imadinosaur
JHM
The Handle
Jimmy T Malice
Not Real Nickname

Submissions should be original work and kept within the 2,000 - 5,000 word range. The tentative due date is December 1st at 11:59 PM PST. Judges typically post their reviews within a fortnight after the deadline. Feel free to post any questions or glaring things I may have missed putting into this post, such as actual organization.


Wow, that was a long punch line and I didn't quite get it. Perhaps it's the generational gap: my great uncle told me that joke, after all.

edited 23rd Nov '13 4:56:20 PM by FingerPuppet

I'll enter. (I'd volunteer to judge, but I think I should wait until I have a little more experience writing.)

Count me back in as handler, as long as the deadline isn't in the next two weeks(Since I'll be takin' a vacation in Japan for a week starting next Friday)

I'm entering for once!

I intend to enter. ^_^

Should we continue the discussion about whether we're going to require a specific place, rather than just any one place, as long as it's only one? As I think was pointed out in the "concepts" thread, a specific place might make for a better prompt — not to mention perhaps making the "theme" element of the judging more comparable between entries.

I'll join. (Although why does the deadline have to be right in the middle of Na No?)

Because I totally forgot that was a thing and the writing contest deadline is usually a month and a half after it starts from what I gather.

I always considered the Fall contest as either an extra challenge for those doing Na No Wri Mo, or as an alternative for those who don't have the time or inclination for it.

Can I be a judge instead of an entrant?

Sure, why not?

Thank you! Didn't want to have to write this during November. :P

Count me as an entrant. (Now to think of an idea. Hm.)

Seems like a vaguely interesting idea. Tentatively adding myself in as a participant.

I love your avatar. TWEWY fans unite!

Every time I read "TWEWY" I pronounce it phonetically in my head and think it sounds like someone with a speech impediment saying "truly."

edited 16th Oct '13 11:33:45 PM by FingerPuppet

I have an idea, so I intend to enter. ...we'll see if that actually happens.

For some reason, I do that as well :D It just rolls of the tongue kinda nicely.

Also, er, so what is the set location of the stories? Or can each author choose the location>

I think it's best that authors come up with their own location if only because I'd make everyone write about a subterranean petting zoo or something.

My Experience With Mole-Alpaca' by Parable.

*snerk*

x5 (post 15) I think we've all been there.

So, if we don't have a third judge by the deadline, what do we do?

EDIT: Um. This might be a problem.

My computer isn't loading free text host right. It instead takes me to this page◊. According to downforeveryoneorjustme.com, this problem only exists on my end. Thoughts?

edited 17th Oct '13 5:57:55 AM by ThnikkamanLostHerCookies

It was telling me it couldn't be found too for a little while, but it seems to be working now. Give it another try and hit refresh?

edited 17th Oct '13 3:20:26 PM by Parable

Are the stories going to be made available for everyone to read come the deadline?

Just the judges at first.

After it's over, yeah.

Also @Thnikkamn: I'm not too worried right now since we still have over a month so I'm sure we're going to get at least one other judge during that time.

As far as freetexthost being down for you, there are so many things that could be causing it. And just because the home page isn't working for you, it doesn't mean links to other pages on the site will be. You could try clearing your cookies, trying a different browser, refreshing after a couple mins, etc.

edited 17th Oct '13 5:22:26 PM by FingerPuppet

Tried clearing my cache, cookies, and using IE. No success.

EDIT: Trying links to stories from contest 8 doesn't work, either.

edited 18th Oct '13 11:22:25 AM by ThnikkamanLostHerCookies